1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to modular hybrid snake arms that are usable with mobile robotic devices and systems.
2. Related Art
In the field of robotics, manipulator arms are used extensively by industrial robots and, in some cases, mobile robots. Mobile robots have additional issues that the stationary industrial aims do not have, such as arm storage, weight, and versatility requirements. An acceptable manipulator arm working envelope for an industrial arm may be too confining for a mobile robot. A robot arm's working envelope can be expanded by the use of an arm rotation axis which can provide the arm 360 degree access. Many industrial robot arms incorporate this rotation axis as the primary movement axis.
A flexible or snake arm robot is a computerized electro-mechanical device with many features found in industrial robotic arms. The “snake” description refers to the arm's long cylindrical shape, which can move in ways that are reminiscent of a snake. The flexible snake aim is a robotic “arm” and the technology has been around for several years with snake arms available commercially from several companies. Most snake arms include a fixed base, or platform, possibly even connected to the end of a larger traditional industrial robot arm, and many elements such as ribs or plates connected in series and moved by wires or cables. Typically, the distance between two edges of the rib plates is changed, and when multiplied by many plates, the combined movement causes the arm to move. The elements, ribs or plates are typically actuated by various mechanical mechanisms, such as gears, pistons, cams, and, more typically, by wires or cables. Many prior art robot arms exist, and when the arms are examined, no solution solves the mobile robot problems.
Previous robot arm designs do not address the mobile robot requirements of compact arm storage, a large working area, and the ability to have 360 degrees of rotational freedom for arm tasks while mounted in a robot, unless the robot arm is located at the top of the robot. The top of the robot location is not an ideal location as the top mounted robot aim creates a larger tipping moment, as well as eliminates potential robot equipment volume that could be located above the robot arm.